Toggle switch extension actuator



Feb. 19, 1963 F` ed April 6, 1960 ,H-,

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y' b h H 4- -Ro er1 F DeLlllWsENzTvt-)zlz /2 8 BY @4% @@M geni 3,677,789TGGLE SWETCH EXTENSGN AETUATJR Robert F. De Lashniutt, 120i@ 5E.Woodward Piace, Portiand, Utreg. Filed Apr. 6, Een, Ser. No. 29,4%9 lCiaim. (Cl. iid-593) This invention pertains to electric switches, andrelates particularly to an extension actuator by which to accommodatethe operation of a conventional toggle switch by `small children who arenot able to reach to the height at which the switch normally is locatedfor convenient operation by adults.

lt is a principal object of the present invention to provide a toggleswitch extension actuator which is of extremely simplied constructionfor economical manufacture, which is capable of mounting in operativeposition by means of the securing screws for the switch cover platewithout modiiication of the lswitch assembly, which accommodatesoperation of the switch by manipulation of the toggle either directly atits elevated position or indirectly from a lower position, and whichassures proper operation without jamming and without breakage or otherdamage to the switch.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention willappear from the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

FlG. l is a foreshortened view in front elevation of a toggle switchextension actuator embodying the features of this invention, the samebeing shown in operative asn sociation with a conventional toggle switchand cover plate assembly;

FIG. 2 is a foreshortened sectional view taken along the line 2 2 inFIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. l.

For purposes of explanation, there is shown in the drawing aconventional electric switch lil provided with an attaching bracket 12by which to secure the switch in a conventional outlet box (not shown).A cover plate 14 normally overlies the switch to conceal the latter andthe electrical connections thereto, and the cover plate is supported inposition by means oi the screws i6 which extend through openings i8 inthe cover plate and are received in tapped openings in the bracket i2. Acentral opening 2t? in the cover plate receives freely therethrough thepivoted toggle 22 of the switch lo.

The extension actuator of the present invention comprises, in apreferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, a cover member 2d andan elongated handle member 26. The latter is received slidably within anelongated groove 28 which extends from the lower end of the cover member24 and terminates inwardly of the upward end of the latter. Groove 28 isformed by a rearwardly projecting marginal extension at the upper endand sides of the cover member 2d. Registering openings Sil and 32 in thecover member 24 and handle member 26, respectively, receive theoutwardly extending toggle 22 therethrough. The opening 3i? isdimensioned to permit movement of the toggle through its operativerange, and the opening 32 is dimensioned only slightly larger than thedimensions of the toggle 22 so that the latter may be manipulated bymovement of the handle member. This arrangement of the cover member andhandle member eflfectively resists the entrance of objects and othermatter between the relatively moving parts, thus assuring properoperation without jamming.

Openings 34 are provided in the cover member for alignment with theopenings 18 in the cover plate and reception of the screws 16. Theseopenings 34 extend through spacers 36, 3S which are equal in thicknessto the depth of the groove Z8. These spacers thus function to maintainthe depth of the groove 28 when the screws 16 are drawn tight.

An enlarged opening dit is provided in the handle member 26 to receivethe spacer 38 freely therethrough, whereby to permit longitudinalmovement of the handle member within the guide groove 2S, for remotemanipulation of the toggle 22. An enlarged finger grip 42 is provided onthe lower end of the handle for manipulating the latter. The handlemember is guided during this movement by the side walls of the groove28. Lateral strain on the toggle Z2 thus is avoided, insuring againstits breakage or other damage to the switch.

ln mounting the extension actuator upon a switch assembly, the securingscrews 16 are removed from the cover plate i4, the handle member 26 isplaced within the guide groove Z3 with the opening it? surrounding thespacer 38, and the assembly of the cover member 24 and handle member Zothen is placed against the cover plate i4, with the toggle 22 projectingoutwardly through the aligned openings Sait, 32,. The openings 34 and 18then are aligned with the tapped openings in the mounting bracket 12,and the screws i6 tightened into place.

Manipulation of the toggle may be made by those tall enough to reach thetoggle directly, a sufficient portion of the latter projecting outwardlybeyond the cover member 24 for this purpose. Smaller children maymanipulate the toggle by grasping the finger piece 42 and moving thehandle member 26 in the appropriate direction.

The cover member 24 preferably is constructed of a syntheticthermosensitive resin material, of the thermosetting or thermoplastictypes, by conventional molding technique. This method of manufactureaccommodates the incorporation of the guide groove 2S and the spacers36, 38 integrally with the cover member in one operation.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes inthe details of construction described hereinbefore may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention and the scope of theappended claim.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may beused, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A toggle switch extension actuator comprising, in combination with anelectric switch cover plate having a front face and retainer screwapertures, a cover member having openings therethrough registering withthe retainer screw apertures in the cover plate for securing the covermember on the face of the cover plate; the cover member having therein atransverse toggle-receiving opening; a rearwardly projecting marginalextension on the upper end and sides of the cover member, said marginalextension spacing the cover member from the cover plate to form abottom-opening, elongated, guide groove; said egroove thus being definedby the rear surface of the cover member, the front face of the coverplate, and the upper end and side marginal extensions on the covermember; said groove intercepting the transverse toggle-receivingopening; and an elongated toggle actuator handle member having a portionthereof enclosed in said groove for guided movement therein, saidportion of the handle member having therein a transverse togglereceiving opening and a longitudinally elongated transverse retainerscrew receiving opening for accommodating longitudinal movement of thehandle member relative to a mounted retainer screw extending throughsaid elongated opening, the remaining length of the handle memberprojecting beyond the cover member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,211,818 Innis Aug. 20, 1940 2,493,581 Hood Ian. 3, 1950 2.668.456Meistrell Feb. 9, 1954

